On Great Men

On Great Men addresses the constructions,stigmas and archetypes surrounding what it means to be defined as a “great man.”

Chad Krowchuk uses irony to highlight and subvert the absurdity of such a loaded term, while others like Marcus Macleod and Jordan Bent look within themselves as artists to uproot the answers. Both Jeremiah Birnbaum, known for incorporating and critiquing icons of constructed masculinity, and Jay Senechtko, whose work champions western art history’s hegemony within post modernism, address the conflicting nature of the “great man” stereotype in society. Michael Abraham’s images ask us to ponder what exactly defines greatness; whether it is recognizing one’s own power or one’s own insignificance?Perhaps it is creating an impact in society or in the life of another.

We have all had heroes and role models, but it has never been necessary to put ‘Man’ in the title.There are ‘Great People’ we have all looked up to as we found our way in the world and matured; but as we matured (hopefully) these heroes were humanized.They became like us: fallible, searching, possibly lonely, possibly not, but full of possibility.Potentially great.